Welcome to Slender Mansion
by gotosleeplove
Summary: Running for her life, a girl finds herself being chased by Slenderman. On her run, she stumbles upon a mansion in the middle of the woods, unaware that it is Slender Mansion. Seeking refuge, she enters, not knowing of the other inhabitants that lurk inside. Slender X OC
1. Chapter 1

Welcome to Slender Mansion

(Please note that I also have this story on quotev under the same name; no stealing c:)

Chapter 1

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I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. Here I was, running through the forest in the middle of the night, nothing but a flashlight guiding my way. It shook viciously, not offering much help as I barreled forward, my breaths pants as I fought to breathe. My lungs burned as I pushed forward, tree limbs scraping me as I went.  
He was behind me. Never look back. Never turn around. Just keep going forward. I had seven out of eight of the damn papers, only one more to find. Just one. If I make it out, Carter was getting the cuss out of a life time for talking me into this. Little did he know that it was much more than old stories. Just a nice fun dare for me to go into the forest at night, the forest that was said to be haunted by Slenderman. I snorted at the thought, but now, it didn't seem so funny.  
First walking into the depths of the trees, going further inside until I saw a piece of paper on a tree. It read, "Don't look back." I shrugged, taking it and shoving it into my bag. I kept walking, until I stumbled upon another piece of paper. That's when I made the mistake of turning my head, seeing him standing among the trees. Knowing then, it was not just scary stories, I grabbed the paper and ran. Now, here I was, running for my life as static blurred in my ears.  
Just keep going straight, I coaxed myself. This forest had to end somewhere. I just hoped I'd reach that somewhere before it was too late. I felt eyes glued on my back, but I refused to turn around again. I wasn't going to look at the faceless man again. I continued, my legs burning as I forced myself forward, ramming into trees as I went due to my shaking flashlight.  
Suddenly, the ground was flying towards my face; something wrapping around my ankle and tripping me. My hands flew in front of me, blocking my face as I hit the ground. The breath was knocked out of me as dirt stung in my eyes. Leaves crackled as I pushed myself up. As quick as I could, I flipped around seeing something black and slimy wrapped around my ankle. It was no mere rock or limb I had tripped over. It was a tentacle that protruded from his back, snaking around my ankle until it went numb. It coiled around, leaving a sticky substance anywhere it touched, staining my jeans. In pure horror, I viciously jerked my ankle back, trying my best to pull it away. It was all fruitless attempts. The faceless man walked forward, taking his sweet time as tears poured down my face.  
This was it. I was going to die. He kneeled in front of me, cocking his featureless face, appearing to stare into the depths of my soul. Even though he was missing his eyes. I sobbed, my heart pounding out of my chest. The static was even worse in my ears at that moment. A ripping sound assaulted my ears as I watched what appeared to be a jagged mouth stretch across his face. My stomach dropped as he smiled, his pointed teeth looking oh so unfriendly as drool hung down from the serrated teeth. A wicked cackle broke through his mouth, the salty smell of blood and decay filling my nose. Without thinking, my hand shoved into my pocket, pulling out my pocket knife. I flicked my wrist, freeing the blade, then slammed it down on his tentacle. A screech broke through his jagged mouth as I pushed myself up, starting to run again. Go damn it! Run! He was really going to kill you now!  
"Masky! Hoodie! Stop her," a raspy growl roared behind me.  
Masky? Hoodie? Who were they? That's when I saw something in the distance. It looked like… a house? A house! I saw light coming through a window. Thank god! Then I noticed, it was no mere house. More like a mansion. But that was besides the point. It was shelter.  
"Where do you think you're going?" a voice suddenly hissed, a hand grabbing my shoulder, forcing me to stop.  
It was a boy, I supposed. He was wearing a beige hoodie, and a mask. The mask was pure white, besides the black lips and eyebrows that were arched above the eye holes. Ruffled brown hair stuck out of the top. Behind this boy, was another figure. This one had the hood up on his hoodie, his face hidden. A knife twirled in his hand. The figure looked up, pure blackness inside the hood. Even though my flashlight shone on them, I still couldn't see his face.  
"Fuck you," I spat, jerking my knife towards his hand, cutting him slightly.  
He hissed, jerking his hand back as I broke into a full fledge sprint to the mansion. I was going to make it. I had to. I heard feet stomping behind me, trying to catch up. Twigs snapping, leaves crunching. Vicious snarls ripping through all of their mouths. I was so close… Nearly flying up the stairs, I rammed into the door, banding as loud as I could.  
"Help! Someone please, open the door! Help me!" I screamed, slamming my fists against the door. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins, my body shaking and numb.  
I looked back to see the two boys, and Slenderman advancing on me. No time to wait. I had to get in. I twisted the doorknob, seeing to my luck it was unlocked. I bustled inside, slamming the door behind me, then proceeding to run down the hall. Only to come to an abrupt stop.  
The first I saw was a boy throwing knives at the wooden fireplace, trying to hit the same spot as before. His white hoodie was bloodstained along with the knife he was throwing. His black shaggy hair covered most of his face, but I could make out the large smile etched onto it, and his wide eye-lidless eyes. A small girl and boy were on the floor, the boy seeming bored as he played a game with the small child. The girl's hair was curled and tangled, and her eyes a shocking bright green. Her nightdress was a faded pink with something stitched on it. The boy who looked like Link from Zelda appeared to be a demonic elf. His eyes were pitch black and small red dots were his pupils. A boy was sitting on the couch, a laptop on his lap. A blue mask covered his face, black holes where his eyes should be with a black tar-like substance dripping from them. His brown hair was ruffled above the mask. Last in sight was a girl sitting alone in a chair, reading a book. She was wearing a mask as well, the eyes black like the other guy's. Black lips were turned up into a small slight smile as well on the mask. Long, curly, black tendrils of hair fell down her shoulders, matching the black of her dress.  
Where was I? Who were these people? They all immediately looked up, dumbstruck. Before I could blink, they were all standing. The boy with the white hoodie grabbed his knife, a hysterical laugh breaking through his deformed lips. The little girl's eyes began to glow brighter, blood starting to drip down her face. The small boy's eyes began to drip blood, his nails growing into sharp talons. The boy on the couch dropped his laptop, a scalpel falling down his sleeve, into his hand. His mask was lifted a bit, showing his razor teeth; saliva dripping down his chin and onto the floor. The other girl's book was thrown to the floor, a knife raised in her hand. My heart was hammering as my eyes widened. Slowly I backed away, tears uncontrollably rolling down my cheeks.  
"You have met with a terrible fate, haven't you?" the Link look alike chuckled.  
"Do you want to play?" the little girl asked, a sweet innocent look on her face. The malice behind her smile was easy to spot.  
"No, Sally," the boy with the white hoodie laughed, staring at me with his unclosing eyes. "She needs to go to sleep."  
A sob broke through my lips as I continued to back to the door, ramming into something. Or I should say someone. I turned to face the tall body of a man, wearing a nice black suit with a red tie. Slenderman stood before me, the two boys from before flanking his sides. His jagged mouth appeared to smile as he laughed, tauntingly.  
"Welcome to Slender Mansion."

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**Please review :) Unsure if I should continue..**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Paralyzed with fear, I just stood there, a mask of horror on my face. There was nothing left that I could possibly do. This was the end. Standing in a room with eight people ready to kill me.  
"Just get it over with," I growled through clenched teeth.

Slenderman cocked his head, the slightly concaved areas where his eyes should be shifting, until it appeared as though he was confused.

"What?" he asked, his voice not as menacing as before.

"I know I'm about to die. Just get it over with," I repeated, crossing my arms. What the hell did he think I was talking about?

"Can I do it?" the boy with the white hoodie yelled, too excited.

"No, it should be me," the little girl giggled.

"Boss," one of the boys flanking him started, appearing hesitant.

"Yes, Masky," Slenderman replied, appearing to be frustrated. His jagged mouth closed, leaving his face featureless like before.

"No one has ever made it into the mansion alive before."

"Yes, and?"

"She could be a proxy, don't you think? Or possibly even be one of us. Hell, making it in here proved herself to me," he chuckled. "I mean, she pulled a knife on you and me, and still made it to the mansion. I see potential."

A proxy? One of them? Neither sounded appealing. Slenderman stood still, one of his hands reaching to his chin, stroking it. Deep in thought, he stared at me. Then, he leaned down until he was at my eye level.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"…Aribella," I replied, my hands shaking at my sides.

"Miss, I'm prepared to offer you a deal," he spoke, his voice now velvety soft. No longer the menacing growl. It calmed me down a bit, but I still had to remember where I was. "Either we kill you on spot now. Or, I can escort you to Zalgo, and you return as one of us."

"Who's Zalgo? And… one of you?" I whispered, my voice breaking off.

"I will explain who Zalgo is, if you accept. And yes, one of us. A killer. It's kill or be killed, I'm afraid." Humor laced his words, but they were meant to be terrifying.

I stared at my feet, not knowing what to do. Could I buy myself some time? Is that even possible at this moment?

"Could I… have some time to think about this? It's a big decision, after all," I mumbled, my face flushed.

"Slenderman let me kill her now!" the boy in the white hoodie growled, his knife raised.

"Jeff, that is enough!" Slenderman yelled, causing me to flinch. "And, my dear, I will grant you some time to deliberate. You must stay in the mansion, however, unless one of us goes with you to your destination. And that must have an important reason behind it, why you must go. You have one week. As for all of you," he sighed, turning to the group behind me, "No harm is to go to Miss Aribella. In fact, even if she does decline after a week, she is my responsibility."

I heard multiple sighs and curses behind me, as my shoulders relaxed. I was going to live. For now. "Thank you," I whispered, out of unmoving lips.

"Don't thank me yet," Slenderman murmured, his voice lower. "Now, would you care for a tour of the mansion since you shall be living here?" he asked, his voice returning to velvet.

"Yes," I nodded. I didn't need to be getting on his bad side. There was still the slim possibility that I could escape before the weeks end. It's possible…

He offered his arm, as the two boys… Masky and Hoodie… walked over to the other group. I hesitated, fear still welling up inside me. He was being polite, and a gentleman now… was this a trick?

"There is no need to fear, Miss Aribella," he chuckled, it seeming as though his cheeks rose. Was he smiling?

"O-okay," I stuttered, taking his arm.

He appeared shorter than before. I could swear he was nearly ten feet tall when he was in the forest. Now it was more like seven or eight. Well, he was Slenderman. I wouldn't be surprised if he could alter his height depending on where he was.

He began to take me around the mansion, showing me each room. Like I was going to remember… this place was huge. I must admit, he did have good taste. Everything was elegant and old fashioned. Fireplaces were in most of the rooms, beautiful furniture littered around. Fine fabrics on the seats and chandeliers hung on the ceilings. Old paintings hung on the walls, not one dull or boring. There was even a library, books filling each shelf that went to the ceiling. A small couch was in the corner with a light, for anyone who wanted to sit back and read.

Finally, we started along a long hallway.

"These are where all of the bedrooms are, apart from mine," he replied.

"Heh, it's like a hotel," I chuckled.

"You could say that. All of the entities considered what's called 'creepypastas' have a home here whenever they need one. They can come and go as they please." I didn't reply. He walked me to a door, opening it. "This shall be your room for the time being," his velvet voice whispered.

I walked in, gasping at the sight. It was beautiful, just like all of the rest of the rooms. A large bed laid to the right, small mahogany tables at its sides. A small lamp laid on one, the other left bare. A large wooden vanity sat against the wall in front of the bed, a fancy looking stool sitting in front of it. A door was next to the vanity, and one beside the bed. One went to a bathroom and the other to a closet, I presumed.

"This room is for new guests. The others that live here have theirs customized to their liking. If you decide to stay with us, you may decorate however you like."

I nodded, walking into the room. I sat on the bed, Slenderman still looming in the doorway.

"Um… who are all the others here? What are they like?" I asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Besides the fact that they're killers, hmm?" Slenderman chuckled. He lowered his head, entering the room. "Alright. The one you saw earlier with the white hoodie is Jeff. He, of course, gets angry very easily. It's better you don't smart mouth him to his negative remarks, no matter how much you'd like to. I should know," he chuckled. "It'd just be better that way. The woman with the black hair and mask is Jane. She is rather arrogant and cocky. If she's rude, I wouldn't push too far, but she's far more in control of her temper than Jeff. You shouldn't have a problem with Ben or Sally. They're the two who appear younger. Lastly, the man with the blue mask is Jack. He is a rather nice fellow, but he sometimes gets hungry… so be warned. Although under my order, I doubt you shouldn't have to worry. And my proxies are no threat since they follow my orders."

I gulped, my eyes watering. I was playing it off well, I had to keep going. Acting calm and collected gave me another week. I couldn't break now. Inside, however, I was ultimately terrified.

"Now that all that's all out of the way, you may do as you please. Don't leave the mansion without supervision," he reminded me. "And if you truly are contemplating going to Zalgo… then it would be best for you to interact with the inhabitants of this mansion. You could learn some valuable information, and I'm sure you'd become more comfortable. Goodnight, Miss Aribella," he said, his voice warm.

With that, he turned, exiting the room. Right as the door shut, I broke. Tears streaming down my face. I had to get out of here. I had to find away. Not tonight… they have to drop their guard first. But there was no way I wasn't going to see my family again. And I still had to cuss out Carter. But would it even matter if I made it away? Even if I did make it, they would probably find me, then kill me on spot. There probably wouldn't even be a happy ending, but that didn't mean I wasn't willing to try.

So many questioned flowed into my brain. They spared me, due to me making it into the mansion, I guess. How come no one else had? Had no one else come across this mansion in the middle of the forest before? Who was Zalgo? What would he do to me? Tears continued to fall, until I heard a quiet tap on the door. My head snapped up, my heart going rapid in my chest.

"Who is it?" I called, my voice cracking. I quickly dried my tears.

"It's Masky," the person replied. "May I come in?" he asked.

I remembered it was Masky who gave Slenderman the idea to spare me in the first place. He seemed to be one of the nicest people here I guess…

"Sure," I replied, pulling my legs to my chest.

The door slowly opened, Masky entering. He closed the door behind him, holding up his hands. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said, trying to offer comfort.

I nodded as he dropped his hands. "I just wanted to see how you were holding up," he continued, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Not too well," I replied, honestly.

"Yeah… sorry about that. If you ever need anyone to talk to while you're here, you always have Hoodie and me. I'm sure everyone else will warm up to you, too. Just give them some time."

"That's very sweet," I murmured, not knowing how else to reply. Thank god they all weren't dying to kill me. "I appreciate you offering the idea and giving me some time," I added.

"No problem. I see potential in you, and I know Slenderman does too," he chuckled. I smiled, although I don't know whether he returned it or not. "Well, alright. Slenderman wanted me to wake you for breakfast, so don't freak out in the morning," he laughed, turning and exiting.

"Okay," I replied as he shut the door. At least it wasn't that Jeff guy that was going to wake me up. I'd probably have a heart attack.

With that, I turned to the bed, pulling down the sheets. I crawled under the cool sheets, after turning out the light. The darkness didn't help my frantic heart, or my shaking. Knowing I was in a mansion filled with serial killers and trying to go to sleep.

Nightmares were inevitable.

...

"Have you lost your mind?"

Slenderman sighed as Jane started her mouth, right when he entered the room. "Jane, please don't start with me. It's been a long day," he sighed.

"I'm with her on this. You already have two proxies, you don't need another," Ben grumbled, getting more and more frustrated as the moments passed. Sally wouldn't let him quit playing a game with her. Blood was dried and crusty on his face, but he didn't bother wiping it off.

"Who said I was going to make her a proxy?" Slenderman chuckled, crossing his arms. "In fact, I don't remember giving her that option. She will become one of us, if anything."

Jeff was flicking his knife, wood chipping off the fireplace. "I can't stand to be under the same roof as a human and unable to kill them!" he hissed, his knife flying forward.

"Jeffrey, please act like you have a little bit of decency." Slenderman shook his head. "If it were you in her shoes, I bet you'd be very grateful to have this opportunity. And she doesn't need to worry about you killing her in her sleep."

Jeff growled, grabbed his knife, then stalked out of the room. Slenderman shook his head, seeing Masky was still missing.

"Hoodie, can you see that he goes to his room and does not try to harm Miss Aribella?" he sighed.

Hoodie nodded, turning and exiting the room. He had wanted to go find Masky anyway. Going down the dark halls, he finally found some figures in the distance. Once he saw it was Jeff and Masky, he broke into a run. This couldn't be good.

"Move," Jeff growled, his knife raised.

"I'm not letting you in there, Jeff. Back the fuck off," Masky hissed.

With that, Hoodie dashed beside his fellow proxy, knife raised.

"Ah, the silent killer," Jeff chuckled, mocking Hoodie. "You two have to realize by now that you're no match for me." A psychotic laugh broke through his lips that they were so used to hearing.

"No," Masky chuckled quietly. "But he most certainly is."

Right as the words passed Masky's lips, two tentacles wrapped around Jeff's ankles, pulling his feet out from under him. Slenderman lifted him in the air, until Jeff was hanging upside down, staring at him. His jagged mouth was ripped open, his pointed teeth bared.

"If you haven't forgotten, Jeffrey, you are under my roof. And that means you do as I say. Yet you disobey me?" His voice was raspy and low now, sounding demonic. Jeff spat in his face, his cut smile growing larger. Slenderman chuckled, wiping it off. "I guess you need to be punished then, as always. You need to learn how to listen to me. Miss Aribella will not be harmed by you."

With that, he turned, going down the hall with a cursing Jeff hanging behind him.

"His ass is getting beat," Masky laughed, turning to Hoodie. "I'm sure glad you two came. That would have been an ugly fight," he sighed. Hoodie nodded. "I mean, after all, she was Slenderman's prey first. She wasn't Jeff's in the first place. Ah well. As Slenderman's proxies, we have to make sure his prey remains his."

Hoodie nodded once again, saying nothing. They walked down the hall, hearing loud crashes in one room they passed. Jeff really was getting his ass handed to him…

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**Please review! :3**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I flew up from the bed when a knock came from the door. Tired as I was, I got up. I barely slept that night… but who could blame me?

"I'm up," I murmured, drowsy.

"Okay, breakfast is in ten minutes," Masky called from outside the door.

I stretched, walking over to the closet. Of course, no clothing was inside. Well, that figures. I walked to the vanity, finding a hairbrush at least. I stared at myself in the mirror, my blue eyes appearing drained. In fact, I looked like death. My face was paler than usual, my shoulders slumping. A frown dominant on my face. I sighed, then finished brushing the knotted tendrils of my black hair. Feeling as ready as I'd ever be, I walked out. Peeking around the corner, I started along the hall… then cursed when I got to its end. How was I supposed to know where to go?

Still willing to try, I maneuvered around the mansion, hoping to just magically come across the kitchen. I wandered, slowly giving up as I walked. Then, I ran right into someone. I gasped, looking up to see Slenderman.

"I-I'm sorry, I got lost," I stuttered, afraid I was going to be castigated.

"No worries, my dear. I figured as much, due to my proxy being unable to follow a simple direction," he sighed. "I told him to escort you to the kitchen, not just to wake you up… my apologies."

What a gentleman… perhaps I shouldn't judge a book by its cover… Then again, he could still kill me at any moment.

"It's fine," I chuckled, my voice so very small.

He offered his arm, and this time I took it without hesitation. It was strange hearing him talk without a mouth. But I guess he only showed it when he wanted to scare someone.

"How'd you sleep, Miss Aribella?" he asked.

I looked up at him, biting my lip. "Not very well," I replied, honestly. "Were there people outside my room last night? Right after Masky left and I dosed off, I thought I heard something."

His face contorted, showing he was confused. "So that's where Masky ran off too. And regrettably, something did happen out there. I wouldn't worry too much," he whispered, his velvet voice trying to sooth.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowing. Then it hit me. "Someone tried to come kill me, didn't they," I murmured, bleakly. I was so going to die here.

"Masky and Hoodie held him off until I arrived. I assure you, they learned their lesson and it wont happen again." His cheek bones raised, showing he was smiling. I returned it, halfheartedly.

We entered the kitchen, everyone gathered around the table. Although breakfast was not on everyone's plate… specifically keyed at the man who I guessed to be Jack. My stomach dropped at what appeared to be an organ on his plate, blood seeping out and pooling below it. His mask was raised a bit, drool hanging down from his teeth as he grabbed his utensils. Everyone else had bacon, eggs and toast on their plates. For monsters, they had at least some normal customs.

Slenderman walked to an empty chair, sliding it back for me to sit in. I smiled slightly, taking my seat. He sat at my left at the head of the table, and Masky was on my right. At least I was next to the two I was most comfortable with. That's when I looked up and saw… a not so friendly face. The one with the white hoodie… Jim? I think that's what his name was… He was glaring at me, or more or less trying to. His eyelid-less eyes seemed as though they were trying to narrow, but failing. He was frowning, but his cut smile still made him look like he was smiling. I did notice some bruises beginning to blossom on his cheek bone and under his chin, plus the small scratches on him.

"There's no need to glare at me like that, Jim," I mumbled.

A few laughs started around the table; even Slenderman was chuckling to himself. Jim just seemed to get angrier. Was what I said that funny?

"You mean Jeff?" Masky laughed

…Oh. Well that explains some things. "Oops."

Jeff just looked beyond pissed. He lifted his knife out of his pocket, slamming it into the table.

"Damn it Jeffrey!" Slenderman growled, his mouth ripping open. I tried to look away. "Quit cutting up my furniture!"

"She called me Jim!" he yelled. What a child. "Everyone is supposed to know my beautiful name along with my beautiful face. She needs to go to sleep already."

"One more time and you are going to leave this mansion," Slenderman snarled. Everyone was silent.

Jeff just scarfed down the rest of his food, stood up and stalked away. I frowned, cowering back in the chair. Nice way to wake up.

"If you haven't realized yet, new chick, he's basically not even there in the head anymore," the girl chuckled. "I'm Jane," she added, I guessed to prevent me from messing up her name too.

Thank god someone else was deciding to be hospitable! "I can see that," I chuckled. "Nice to meet you, Jane."

"You can borrow some of my clothes this week since you wont have any. If you decide to become one of us, though, you'll have to find your own," she stated.

"Thanks," I replied, grateful. I didn't want to stay in these dirty clothes. My run last night through the woods left them ripped and dirt stained.

Jane was very careful when she ate, barely lifting her mask when she took a bite. So careful to not let anyone see. Hmm. Well, Slenderman said she had a temper too… but I haven't seen it quite yet. I don't think I really want to, either. For the rest of my breakfast, I ate in silence.

"So, Miss Aribella, I meant to inform you earlier of the guests that will be arriving," Slenderman started, leaning back in his chair. Shit, more of them were coming? "Laughing Jack and the Rake will be arriving within the day. They were supposed to arrive last night, which was why you managed to get inside the mansion. You see, the mansion lies within a parallel dimension that only I can control. That's why it's been unnoticed for so long. You got really lucky with your timing," he chuckled. "If Jack and the Rake were not expected, you wouldn't have seen the mansion. Just trees. It was opened for them," he explained.

Well, that was interesting. Was it plain luck? Or meant to happen? "Is there anything I need to know about Jack and the Rake?"

"Well, first off, you can call each of the Jack's EJ and LJ to avoid confusion. But Laughing Jack… I wouldn't worry at all. He can be a pretty entertaining fellow. If he offers you candy, feel free to take it; it's not poisoned I assure you," he laughed to himself. Then, he looked completely serious. "Now with the Rake, I want you to avoid him if you can. If not, make sure you have someone accompanying you. Never be alone."

Well that just sounded lovely. Just lovely. "Do I need to worry about Jeff or the Rake more?" I asked.

Like a chorus, everyone around the table said the Rake, even Jack. Chills ran up my spine.

"Jeff is child's play, Aribella," Jane chuckled. "Compared to the Rake that is. "You'd have to get him very fired up to become competition to the Rake. Like Slenderman, the Rake is a demon. Don't fuck around with him, for sure," she murmured.

I nearly fell out of my seat. Fabulous.

"Don't worry," Masky chuckled, looking over. I could see his blue eyes through the holes in the mask. "It was just a warning to watch your back, just in case. We're all looking out for ya." I wasn't sure, but I thought he smiled.

"Of course," Slenderman agreed.

"Thanks," I breathed, still scared out of my mind.

"This is going to be a lot to explain to LJ," Jack chuckled, finished with his meal. Blood dripped down his chin.

"Well, we have the time. I'm sure he'll understand," Slenderman replied.

"Yeah. Well, imma go play my videogames. I catch you guys later," Ben mumbled, standing up.

"Videogames?" I nearly yelled in excitement, causing Ben to jump.

The little elf guy turned around, smiling a bit. "Yeah. You play, I guess," he replied. I nodded, finally calming down a bit. "Well, my version of video games is a tad different than yours. But… you can stop by my room later and we can play GTA or something," he grinned, his black eyes not so menacing.

"Okay," I replied, excited that I would at least get to sit back, and relax while playing video games.

"Cool. Someone can show you which room's mine. Glad _someone_ here actually enjoys videogames too," he laughed, walking out of the room.

I grinned, finishing my food. "Well, you've won him over now," Masky laughed, standing. "Anyone who likes videogames is a friend in his eyes. Other than the videogame lovers he's trying to kill, that is." I looked up, confused. "You can ask him about it later," Masky added, brushing it off. Ah well.

I stood up, picking up my plate and utensils, prepared to take them to the kitchen to clean them. I had to be polite… even with killers…

"That wont be necessary, sweetheart. But thank you," Slenderman said, sipping on some coffee.

"You sure?" I asked, hesitant.

"Of course."

"Aribella, will you play a game with me?" the little girl asked suddenly, running over to me.

"Sally…" Slenderman murmured, it appearing like a warning.

"Not like _that_," Sally sighed, frustrated. "Like a board game or something."

"Oh… um sure," I smiled. I sat my plate back on the table, along with the utensils.

"Yay!" she sang, twirling around.

I laughed as she grabbed my arm, pulling me out of the room. She brought me into the sitting room, pulling out a random board game.

"Ben usually plays with me, but he's getting bored with them," she whispered, setting up the game. "So are you going to stay here?" she asked, rolling a dice.

"Um… I'm not really sure," I replied, honestly.

"Well, if you do, we can play games all the time," she smiled, moving her piece along the board. She handed me the dice. I rolled it, getting a six.

"That'd be fun," I replied, smiling.

She didn't look that scary. Just an eight year old little girl in a pink dress. Her voice was high pitched and sweet. So what was the problem? I couldn't help but remember the sight of her last night. Blood dripping down her face, her eyes glowing brighter. The malice behind the sweet little smile. It just seemed long gone, now. So what happened to a poor little child to her end up like this? I didn't have it in me to ask… I moved my piece, handing her the dice.

I lost count eventually at how many times we played that game. Honestly, I was starting to feel Ben's pain. I was honestly looking forward to just laying back and playing GTA with him later, and feeling just a bit more normal. After being beat several times, I stood, stretching my arms out.

"Oh, c'mon! One more game!" Sally pleaded. Her green eyes looked up, trying to pull off the puppy dog face.

"I'm really tired, Sally. Maybe some more later," I offered, smiling slightly.

"Oh, alright. At least you don't cuss me out like Ben," she chuckled.

I could see that. He's probably come close to losing his mind playing over and over again. I walked out of the room, looking for someone to take me to Ben's room. Finally. I found Jane.

"Jane, can you take me to Ben's room?" I asked.

"He's out… doing some business at the moment," she replied, laughing awkwardly.

Ah… that's wonderful. "Oh, alright," I replied, mildly disappointed I couldn't play videogames.

"Want me to stock you up on clothes real quick?" she asked. "I was on my way to my room anyway."

"Sure," I replied. New clothes would be wonderful, along with a shower.

I followed Jane down the hall, stopping at her door. It was just across from mine. She opened her door, and I followed her inside. Her room's walls were black, and white shaggy carpet was on the floors. Her bed was white, dominating the north wall. Black pillows and blankets covered it. In fact, all of the furniture in the room was black and white. Guess she preferred those colors; she wore only the two of them. Only a few candles were lit around the room, offering light. She walked over to her closet, opening the door. Silently, she pulled out some clothes, laying them on her bed. She gave me just enough to last the week, like she said before. I folded them in my arms, as she sat down on her bed.

"Thank you, Jane," I smiled, walking to the door.

"No problem. And just a forewarning…" she murmured.

I stopped, looking over at her. "Yes?"

"Laughing Jack and the Rake are expected any minute now."

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**Please review! How do you think Aribella meeting LJ and the Rake will go?**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

My stomach twisted in knots. I wasn't all that worried about the man named Laughing Jack. But the Rake? I had hurriedly taken a shower, then slipped on a black dress Jane had let me borrow. Guess I should look nice meeting new… things. Would that be the correct word? With how everyone talked about the Rake, he didn't really sound like a person.

I wandered around the mansion, looking for something to spark my interest until they arrived. I finally stumbled upon the massive library once again, actually smiling a bit when I took it in. No one was here, absolute dead silence. How perfect… I walked over, looking amongst the rows of books, eventually picking one. I sat down at the chair, beginning to read. However, it wasn't long before I heard the door squeak open. My head snapped up, seeing who has entered the library. No one was there… just the door hanging open. I gulped, the hairs on the back of my neck sticking up.

"Slenderman? Masky?" I called, already knowing for a fact it wasn't either of them. "Jane? Jeff?" Still no answer. "Sally?" I cried in desperation, wanting one of them to say they were there.

That's when I felt hot breath panting on the back of my neck. My body felt like it shut down, fear engulfing me. I was afraid to move. Afraid to blink. Afraid to breathe. I couldn't face whoever this was. Although it couldn't be anyone I already met. Gathering up my bravery, I turned, meeting the thing's face.

I sat there, horrified. What was it? It couldn't be human, I had been right. What I presumed to be the Rake was behind me. It was skinny and naked, bones popping out and it's stomach concaved. It had massive claws and pointed teeth. It's eyes were completely black, and appeared to sparkle as it smirked.

_ "You don't belong here,"_ it rasped, its smirk turning into a scowl.

I let out a scream, unable to help it. I jumped out of the seat right when it slung out its claws, narrowly missing it.

"Slenderman!" I screamed, running for the door.

The thing was running on all fours behind me, catching up almost instantly. It cut in front of me, its teeth bared. Animalistic growls tore through it's mouth as it crouched in front of me. My heart was loud in my ears as I wondered what to do. This thing was about to kill me. I turned on my heel, making a break for the other side of the library. I just had to keep it busy…

I hadn't even made it to the shelves yet before a searing pain scorched through my back. I let out a cry, falling to the ground, my side slamming into one of the bookcases. I looked up, the Rake crouched in front of me. One of its claws was dripping with my blood. There was no way I could run, now. Tears poured down my face as I stared at the horrifying thing in front of me. I shut my eyes, willing it to be over with soon.

"Now, now, that's no way to play! You're a cheater, Rake. You heard Slenderman say she was welcome here, and that she was deciding whether to become one of us or not. Games have to be fair, and you broke the rules. It's alright sweets, you can open your eyes now." The new voice was followed by uncontrollable laughter.

My eyes peeked open to see who I guessed to be Laughing Jack in between the Rake and I. Laughing Jack was a strange looking fellow alright. His hair was black and feathery. Yet his face was pale as a ghost. Well, like most people who lived here, actually. A black and white striped cone was his nose. His outfit was obviously made for a clown. A grey shirt that was, for what ever reason, wrapped at the bottom. A collar, that was hidden by two layers of feathers on top of his shoulders. The top layer was black, the bottom was white. His sleeves were black and white striped, and his hands were wrapped right above his black claws. His grey pants were held up by suspenders, and little black patches were here and there on them. Lastly, he had on black and white striped stockings and black shoes. Black, grey and white. That was pretty bleak for a clown. I might have laughed, but I was still scared shitless. I looked up to see Slenderman run into the room.

"What happened," he growled, his mouth ripped open. The Rake barreled out of the room before Jack and I could reply.

"Rakey was about to kill little sweets," Jack replied, laughing. I wondered if he could help it. It'd explain why he was called Laughing Jack.

Rage lit up Slenderman's face. "Does anyone ever listen?" he roared. I knew he was referring to Jeff's stunt last night.

"Ah, you know he's only staying a couple of nights. But I'm gonna be here for a while," Jack chuckled. "Don't go trying to fight him. I mean, I know you'd win. But a demon on demon fight is just something I wouldn't waste my time on, ya know."

"I'm most certainly going to speak with him. But you are right. Are you hurt, dear?" Slenderman asked, facing me.

They couldn't see my back that was stinging like fire. Without saying a word, I flipped over, showing my back. I heart two gasps. Then an outraged snarl.

"At least you can fix her up," Jack mumbled, nonchalant. "Can you stand?" he asked me.

It felt like I was paralyzed. Fear was still running through me, along with adrenaline. Every move I made my back sting more. I could feel the four long gashes he had made. I tried to push myself up, only to slump to the ground again. Slenderman approached, pulling my arms around his neck. He lifted me up, until my legs were on either side of him. His hands were securely holding my legs, as I hugged myself onto him. I guess he couldn't carry me bridal style due to my back. He stood up, the ground looking so far away due to how high I was up.

"I'll clean her up in my office. This might need stitches as well," Slenderman murmured.

I clutched myself onto him, not wanting to fall. But instead of the fear I have felt constantly before, all I felt was comfort.

"Alright. Imma go visit with the others then and tell em' that she survived," LJ laughed, it echoing throughout the room.

I felt Slenderman nod, then exit out of the library. I was still shaking as I held onto him, my head at the crook of his neck. My back was stinging so bad… I never wanted to see that Rake thing ever again. He gracefully walked, keeping me steady until we walked into what I guessed was his office.

"Alright, Miss Aribella. Easily set your feet down so you can lay face down on the couch," he whispered, trying to be gentle. I was at first concerned with getting my blood on it. But it was black… and honestly, I didn't think he or anyone else here would care. He helped me lay down, then walked around, getting medical supplies.

"I hate I messed up Jane's dress," I murmured, the tears slowing.

"I don't think she'll mind. She has many like it," he chuckled. "But it is torn badly. She'll have to stitch it or throw it away. You're going to have to take it off, at least from the waist up so I can get to your back," he said, setting up his things on the table.

I did as he said, sliding it off my shoulders. The Rake's claws narrowly missed my bra, and I was thankful for that at least.

"Alright. First I have to get all of the blood off."

I let him work in peace, burring my face into a pillow. He eventually confirmed that I needed stitches… which I was not happy about in the slightest. I hated needles with a passion. The tears started rolling again as he stitched me up, doing a surprisingly wonderful job. In fact, I barely felt anything. It seemed like it lasted forever until he was finally finished. My back was stitched back together, bandages covering it.

"Alright, its over," Slenderman concluded, standing up. He walked over, wiping my blood off his hands with a towel. Then, he proceeded to clean everything and put it away. There was now just a dull throb on my back, but I couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh. I looked up, to see him shrug out of his jacket.

"This might be big on you. But I highly doubt you want to put that bloody thing back on. It's soaked," he murmured, offering it to me.

I smiled, taking it. I pulled my arms through it, having to push up the sleeves. The bottom came nearly to my knees. I quickly buttoned it, pulling the rest of the dress off. Slenderman was left with a white button down shirt, and a black tie instead of his red one.

"You can just return it in the morning. It is getting late, after all," he added. "I can have Masky bring your dinner to the room if you do not feel like associating with everyone tonight… specifically keyed at the Rake. I would understand," he chuckled.

"That would be nice…" I nodded. I looked at him, the gratitude just now soaking in. I didn't know how he'd take this… but we'd just have to see. I launched forward, wrapping my arms around him. He stiffened, surprised. "Thank you, Slendy."

He awkwardly patted my shoulder. I wasn't sure whether he didn't want to hurt my back or just didn't know how to respond.

"Hey Slends, when's din-" I recognized Jeff's voice that cut off at the door.

I was still hugging onto Slenderman, not to mention the fact that I was wearing just his jacket. Jeff was standing with Jack, a horrified expression on his face. Jack said nothing, just turned on his heel and seemed to run away. Jeff, however, looked like he wanted to blink, badly.

"…The fuck?" was all he managed to get out of his unmoving lips.

Slenderman gently pulled away, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Dinner is in ten minutes," he replied, politely.

Jeff's head was flying back and forth between us in confusion. It was obvious what he was thinking. I was about to explain the real situation when Slenderman spoke. "Alright, Jeffrey, go on and set the table. Make yourself useful. Now, Miss Aribella. Would you like to be escorted back to your room?" he asked, facing me.

I nodded, taking his arm when he offered it. We walked by Jeff who still stood there in shock. Once we turned the corner, laughs burst through my lips. Even Slendy chuckled a couple times.

"Just a wonder," he started, looking down at me. "But how is your contemplating going so far?" he asked.

"Um… I'm not sure yet," I whispered, staring at my feet as I walked.

"Understandable. It's only been a day," he chuckled. We stopped at my door. "But, I do hope you decide to stay," he added, his velvety voice soft. "Masky will be here momentarily," he called over his shoulder as he walked down the hall.

I walked into my room, shutting the door behind me. When I passed the vanity mirror, I caught a glimpse of my face in it. My eyes were red and swollen. Tears were still drying that I hadn't wiped away. I looked worse now than I did this morning. Well, I had to cut myself some slack. I was attacked by a monster thing today, and had to have stitches. I let out a great sigh, when there was a knock on my door.

"Hey Ari, it's Masky," he called from the other side. "I'm holding a tray, would you mind opening the door?" he asked.

I walked over, opening it for him. He walked inside, as I shut it behind him.

"Here's your dinner in bed," he chuckled. I smiled, walking over and sitting on my bed.

I didn't pay much attention to what I was eating. Although it was incredibly good, I must say.

"So, are you alright?" Masky asked, sitting on the foot of my bed. I looked up, and his blue eyes were filled with concern. "LJ and Slenderman told everyone what happened at the dinner table. The Rake is currently out hunting," Masky murmured.

"Yeah… I'm all good. Slendy fixed my back up."

"Mhmm. Why do you have his jacket?" he asked, cocking his head in confusion.

"Well, my dress was kind of ruined and soaked in blood. I'm giving him it back in the morning." I finished up my food

"Ah, alrighty. Well, I'm gonna go talk to LJ. It isn't often he comes to visit." He picked up my tray, then walked to the door. "Goodnight!" he called, then exited my room.

I stood up, unbuttoning Slendy's jacket. I laid it on my bed, then found a black tank top and sweatpants in the closet. This would be comfortable enough… I shrugged them on, being careful about my back. I walked over, debating whether I should turn the light off or not… nah. Nope. I pulled the sheets back on the bed, getting inside. I looked up, seeing Slendy's jacket still on the edge of the bed. I reached over, grabbing it. I laid on my side, holding his jacket that was still warm. Curious, I pressed it to my nose. It smelled of pine and mint. Earthy and fresh.

I smiled as I held onto it, soon falling asleep.

* * *

**Please review c: **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

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Slenderman stood outside the door to Aribella's room the next morning, prepared to wake her up for breakfast. The previous morning, Masky had failed to take her to the kitchen, resulting in her getting lost. Sometimes when you want something to get done, you have to do it yourself. He pondered for a moment, wondering whether he should knock or not. He tried the doorknob, seeing it was unlocked. Curious, he stepped inside to see Aribella asleep in her bed.

She was laying on her side, facing away. She was clutching onto something as she slept, but he couldn't make out what it was. Taking a step closer, he saw it was his jacket. He cocked his head, confused and shocked. Why would she do that? He felt his heart warm, slightly, then quickly shook the feeling away. His heart was supposed to remain cold. But he did have a certain soft spot for this girl. She has been through so much already with the Rake and Jeff and… him. He cleared his throat, putting his hands behind his back. She slowly awoke, her blue eyes drooping. She looked up, jumping when she saw him.

"Good morning, Aribella." If Slenderman could smile, he most certainly would have at the moment. She more than likely wouldn't want to see his jagged mouth that was meant to inflict fear. And he never really showed anyone the regular mouth he could form on his face. What for?

"Good morning," she whispered, holding his jacket in her arms. She looked down at it, then blushed. He easily noticed the rosy shade her pale cheeks became. "Here's your jacket back," she whispered, offering it to him. She did seem a bit reluctant.

"…You may keep it, if you want. I presume with how you were cuddling with it, it brings you comfort of some sort," he replied. And in all honesty, he had many other jackets just like it. One less wouldn't hurt.

"You sure?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Of course, my dear. I know that it is hard to find comfort in a place like this. Not to mention the people in it. So anything that helps…" He shrugged.

"Thanks. So far, I'm the most comfortable around you. Then it's probably Masky."

"Wonderful. The others will warm up to you. I believe Jane and Sally already have. The others you'll just have to wait and see. But," he started, his voice going from velvet to pure seriousness, "I do not want you going around the mansion by yourself. You must have someone with you at all times. I do not want another incident like yesterday happening again." She was quick to nod in agreement. "Unfortunately I can not be with you all the time. I have… a lot of work that I have to do. Everyone here is going to busy at one point, but most at night."

"Okay," she replied with a smile. "Can I change and get ready real quick? I'd like to look at least a little bit presentable before breakfast," she chuckled, pointing at her frizzy black hair.

Slender smiled to himself, motioning her forward. "I'll be waiting outside," he said, walking out and shutting the door behind him.

_Aribella's Point of View_

Well. That wasn't embarrassing or anything. Have Slenderman walk in and see me cuddling with his jacket. Great. At least he didn't seem upset by it…

I got up out of the bed, quickly changing clothes, then brushing my teeth and hair. I was looking slightly better than I did yesterday… but not completely. Once finished, I walked out and joined Slendy. He appraised my outfit choice, quietly. Ripped up black jeans and a black shirt with lace sleeves. A lot darker than I am used to… but I sort of liked it. A lot, actually. He held out his arm, and I took it. We walked to the kitchen, Jeff's loud mouth easily heard. Once we entered, everyone was quiet, looking up. My eyes searching around, praying the Rake wasn't present.

"Don't worry, sweets! The Rake is still out," LJ laughed.

I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god."

A chorus of laughter went through the room at my response. Slendy walked me over, sliding me chair back as I sat down. I looked down at the food, same breakfast as yesterday. My hungry stomach was ready to dig in.

"Good morning, Ari," Masky cheerfully said.

I looked over, seeing his mask was slightly raised, showing his mouth. He was smiling.

"Good morning," I replied, beginning to eat.

"So, how bad are you hurt?" Ben suddenly called from the other side of the table.

"Um… four gashes on my back. I had to get stitches," I replied. It still stung and throbbed, but I tried not to think about it. "By the way, Jane, I'm so sorry about your dress," I added, guiltily.

"Are you kidding? I fucking love it!" she laughed, overjoyed. She stood up, showing the she had it on. She turned around, showing the striped rips on the back, her pale skin showing. "I washed it last night, cause I just had to wear it. You enhanced it!" she chuckled, sitting back down. I grinned, relieved.

"Well, I'm glad," I replied, continuing to eat.

"I told you not to worry," Slendy said, his velvety voice full of humor. I nodded in agreement.

We all then ate in silence, LJ every once in a while bursting into a fit of laughter for no apparent reason. Before we were finished, however, Sally's head snapped up.

"Aribella, do you miss your mommy and daddy? I sure know I missed mine."

Sounds of forks dropped echoed on the table. I looked at the little girl, my eyes wide.

"Sally," Slenderman growled, sounding menacing.

Her green eyes were transfixed on me, curiosity flickering in them. I paused, looking down at my plate.

"Yeah, I suppose. Not as much as my little brother," I murmured. I really didn't want to talk about this.

"What do you mean?" the child asked, confused.

I let out a sigh, messing with some of the eggs on my plate with my fork. "I didn't have the best relationship with my parents. They were always fighting. My dad was usually drunk and took out his anger on the rest of the family. Don't get me wrong, I loved them. They were my parents. But I'm not all that upset about being away from them, as I am about my little bro. I mean… he was like my best friend. And I his… I would protect him, and look after him. If he had a bad day at school, which was often, I would comfort him. We would play videogames and watch TV. He was more like my own kid, in a way. Cause my parents weren't really there for him… dad being him… and mom always at work." I couldn't really say anything else. I was trying this entire time I've been here not to crack and remember.

"Aww, I'm sorry," Sally murmured. I just nodded as a reply. "I'll be your new little sister!" she chimed, trying to make things better.

I offered her a small smile, and nodded once again. She giggled, then continued to eat her breakfast. I couldn't look up at the rest of the faces around the table. I knew their eyes were glued on me. Without thinking, I stood up, and hurried out of the room. They couldn't see me cry.

"Damn it, Sally!" I heard Slendy growl, as I hurried away to my room. I was getting better at maneuvering around the mansion… at least to my room at the kitchen. So it wasn't long until I stumbled into my bedroom.

I sat on my bed, forcing myself not to remember any of them, especially my brother. I knew he needed me. I knew he was distraught over my disappearance. I knew he was alone now. A couple tears streaked down my face as I thought about Greg, and my parents. My thoughts were disrupted by a quiet tap on my door. I knew it was Slendy… he was the only one who really tried to comfort me, other than Masky.

"Come in, Slendy," I whispered, wiping away the tears.

The door cracked open, and I was shocked to see Jeff standing there. My eyes bulged and my heart raced in my chest. He held up his hands as he entered, showing he had no knife.

"Nope, it's Jim," he chuckled, a large smile pulling across his face. I smiled slightly, continuing to wipe away the tears. "I'm not gonna make you go to sleep right now, so don't worry. Just wanted to talk to the newbie for a lil bit. I'm sure Slends will barge through the door any minute once he realizes I'm gone. He said we should leave you be for a little while."

Of course Jeff didn't listen. But still, I was curious about what he had to stay. I looked up at him, waiting for him to talk.

"Alls I really wanted to say, was that that pain will go away. You'll forget. Or, at least, it'll be easier. I still haven't forgotten." His wide eyes were on the floor. "I had a brother too. And like you said, I protected him as well… which led to my downfall. I beat the shit out of some bullies who tried to hurt us. That ended up causing them to do this…" he signaled to himself. "I lost it. After they bleached and burned my skin, something in me cracked. I ended up killing my parents, and my brother without a second thought. I still haven't forgotten. But after sometime, I swear it will be easier. Just be glad you don't have your brother's death held on your shoulders."

I stared at Jeff in shock, not believing what I just heard. I had no clue he could be… capable of feeling emotion and guilt, let alone be able to relate to me in a way. But I had to remember, that Jeff was human at one point. Then, like he said, something went very wrong.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, looking at him. "That is so terrible…" I murmured, partially to myself.

"Yeah. But we all gotta move on at some point, right?" he laughed, somewhat hysterical. "Hell, I'm happy now. Killing is pretty fun, you should try it out some time!" And the psycho was back. "But, ya know, I never really gave you a chance. But after hearing that… you are no different than how I used to be. You just haven't cracked yet," he chuckled, followed by another laugh. "Welcome to the family of serial killers," he sneered, maliciously. But in a way now, I was no longer scared of him. He didn't seem to want to kill me anymore… so that's good at least.

A loud boom suddenly erupted, Slendy charging into the room, followed by Masky and Hoodie.

"Jeffrey," Slenderman growled, his mouth ripping open.

"Oh chill out, fuckface. I was just having a heart to heart with the new chick," Jeff cackled. Slender looked over at me, as I nodded in agreement. "Well, anyway, I'm going out. Ben told me to tell you to come by his place and play videogames with him. He's not working today, so whenever is fine," Jeff called over his shoulder as he left the room. Masky and Hoodie both followed him.

Slendy's mouth returned to normal as he walked over to me. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Did he try to hurt you? You can tell me if he threatened you, I will kill him myself," he growled.

"No, Slendy, it's alright. He just told me about his old family and said that I would feel better about things after a while. He was just being nice." I shrugged.

He let out a sigh. "That child. I just don't trust him. But I suppose he was being sincere if he brought up his past. He typically does not like to speak of it." He looked down at me, noticing the tears that were still drying. He reached over, gently wiping them off. "Please don't cry. I promise… like he said, it will get easier," his velvety voice murmured.

I nodded, smiling. They were right. But the small thought in the back of my mind of escaping still looked appealing. I could go back.

"Well, I have to go discuss Masky and Hoodie's new mission with them. In the mean time, I suppose you are going to go play videogames?" he asked, his cheekbones raising. I nodded, standing with him. "I will take you to Ben's room, then," he replied, walking out of my room with me.

He took me down the hall, finally pausing in front of a room with a white door. On the door, in red letters, it said 'You Shouldn't Have Done That'.

"Here you are, my dear. Have fun," Slendy chuckled, turning and walking down the hall.

I knocked twice, and then waited. Finally, the door pulled open, Ben standing at it. He smirked, his black eyes nearly covered by his shaggy blond hair.

"Ready to play videogames?"

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**Please review! Also, I have a new story started on here called Candy Hearts. If you are a Laughing Jack fan, then you should check it out ;) Also, if you have not seen as well, another story I have on here is Falling for a Killer which is Jeff x OC if you would like to read it as well c: Thank you to all of the reviews so far, they mean so much and make my day reading them. Thanks for the inspiration! **

**Sleep well, my dears... **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"You are cheating!" I accused Ben, frustration nearly eating me alive.

He snickered, celebrating his tenth win in a row. "Okay, maybe a little bit. Force of habit," he admitted, his smirk still planted on his face.

I crossed my arms, leaning back on the couch that faced his TV. "That's not fair. I'd at least like a chance," I murmured.

"You are some pretty good competition. EJ and Jeff are the only ones who can really try to match me around here. Guess there's another one on that list now."

"You ever get Slendy to play?" I asked, grinning. I already knew that answer.

"Pff, as if! That would be a no, he says he's too busy for 'mediocre entertainment' like videogames. Stick in the mud."

I laughed at Ben's remark, trying to picture Slendy playing videogames. He is in one, after all.

"Ya know, you remind me of my brother," I murmured. I looked over at Ben, as he wiped the dried blood out from under his eyes.

His smirk was gone, a sort of sorrowful expression on his face now. I could barely see his eyes due to his shaggy hair, but they looked sympathetic.

"How so?"

"We used to play videogames. And he was a smartass like you when we would play them," I laughed, his smirk returning.

"Force of habit."

I threw my controller to the floor, done playing. Ben did the same.

"Ben, who is this Zalgo guy Slendy mentioned before."

Ben's smile fell, his eyes wide. "I really shouldn't mention him to you."

"Why not?" I asked, a pang of fear igniting in me. Ben, a creepypasta himself appeared to be afraid of this guy. And they expect me to go to him?

"You just don't need to know."

"Yeah I do," I growled. "If you guys expect me to go to him, I need to know about him first."

"Not exactly. Lets just say, all you need to know, is that he can make you one of us. That's all."

"More, Ben," I nearly commanded.

He made the motion of locking his lips and throwing away the key. I rolled my eyes, standing up.

"Whatever," I sighed. "It was nice playing videogames with you, though. Even though you cheated," I laughed.

"Yeah, you too. Anytime you wanna play, lemme know. I'll pretend to be your little bro," he grinned.

"Alright," I smiled.

I walked out of his room, beginning to look around for something else to do. I began to get nervous, wondering if the Rake was back yet. I was alone… and I didn't need to run into him again. I wandered around, eventually finding the living room. On the couch sat Jeff, EJ and LJ, all watching TV. Poor bored psychos.

"What's up, sweets?" LJ called, followed by a laugh.

"Nothing. Just looking for something to do," I replied. I walked over, sitting in the seat available on the couch beside Jeff and EJ. I looked up to see what they were watching. "Saw. Very expected of you guys," I giggled.

"You can learn lots of cool ways to torture, though," Jeff replied, serious. "It's full of ideas, and I needed to brush up a bit."

My eyes widened in fear at the boy beside me. "Oh, that's nice," I nearly squeaked.

"Calm down, princess, I'm not gonna hurt you," Jeff purred, smirking.

I frowned, looking away. Ignorant boy. EJ remained silent beside me, staring straight ahead at the screen.

"Hey, EJ, how are ya doing?" I asked, poking his arm.

He turned to me, the mask making him intimidating due to me being unable to see his expression.

"Alright. How are you holding up on your third day?" he asked.

I gulped, realizing I only had four left. "Fine, thanks."

"He hasn't eaten any of your kidneys yet, has he?" Jeff snorted, his smile growing larger.

My eyes widened, part of me wanting to look at my stomach, the other part not. Slowly, I lifted up the bottom of my shirt, letting out a sigh of relief when I didn't see any cuts or stitches. The entire room erupted into a chorus of laughter at my response. I blushed, leaning back on the couch. Suddenly, a hand was in front of me, a pile of candy in the palm of it.

"Care for some candy, sweets?" LJ asked, leaning over EJ.

I looked at them, questioningly. Then I remembered what Slendy said about them being harmless.

"Sure," I replied, picking up a red one. I unwrapped the paper, popping the candy in my mouth. Cherry.

"Cherry your favorite?" he asked. I nodded. "I'll remember! Whenever you need candy, I'll save the cherry ones for you," he smiled.

What a sweet fellow. Candy was a great way to make someone smile.

"Pass me a grape!" Jeff called. LJ threw one over, Jeff catching it easily.

Why was I no longer terrified of all of this psychotic serial killers? Why was I sitting here, comfortably, talking with them like they were all my greatest friends… well, in all honesty, I did consider a lot of them to be my friends… I frowned, fiddling with my fingers. I jumped as Masky and Hoodie entered the room, calling my name.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Up, up. We have to take you out to train. Master's orders," Masky replied.

I sighed, standing. "I don't have to kill anything, do I?" I whispered.

"No, not yet. Basically watch us, and we'll teach you some techniques. How to fight, and to protect yourself."

I nodded, not having much of a choice. At least I'd have a chance of going outside. I followed them in silence, a strange feeling washing over me as we left the front door of the mansion. Leaves crunched under our feet as we walked through the forest. I looked up, watching Masky and Hoodie lead. Neither were speaking, although that was expected of Hoodie.

"Hoodie, why don't you ever talk?" I asked, curiously.

"He never does. I think only Slendy and I have ever heard him," Masky answered for him.

"Can I?" I asked, grinning like a fool. Hoodie remained silent. "Come on!" I pleaded, laughing. "Just one word."

Masky looked over at Hoodie, waiting as I was. Hoodie continued forward, staring straight ahead.

"Hi."

I gasped at the one word he whispered, feeling triumphant. Masky laughed, slapping him on the back.

"Yay," I giggled. "So, what exactly are we doing first?" I asked.

"Well, we can start off with your training. It's going to be simple at first, don't worry. Then, the usual perimeter check and then we can go home. Sound good?" Masky asked.

I nodded as they stopped walking.

"Alright. Well, I think your agility is all good due to how fast you ran during our first encounter. So we really need to work on your endurance and stamina. Not to mention fighting. How good is your defense and offense?" he asked.

"Um… well, I believe I'm better at offense than defense," I replied. I remember slashing my knife at both him and Slendy.

"Alright. Defense it is, then. Hoodie and I are going to attack you, and it's going to be up to you to block everything. Use you surroundings. Dodge and block. Got that?"

"Yeah… you guys aren't really going to like… punch me or anything?" I asked, pursing my lips.

"Nothing rough. You'll be fine, I promise. This is training, after all."

I gulped, nodding my head.

For the next hour, Masky and Hoodie continuously attacked, and I barely dodged anything that came my way. Masky was more helpful and slow with his attacks, yet Hoodie really acted like he was fighting me. I just knew my arms and stomach were going to be bruised tomorrow. Mercifully, they never went for my face. Finally, after several fruitless attempts, I ended up catching Hoodie's arm, twisting it backwards. Then, dodged out of the way of Masky's attack. I could see Masky's smile of approval behind his mask.

"Alright. I think you're all good for today. We can do more tomorrow. Now it's time for the perimeter check."

"What happens if you find someone?" I whispered.

"Kill them. It's that simple," Masky chuckled.

"But… isn't that Slendy's job in the forest? I mean, you guys work for him… aren't you just to notify him or to help?" I asked.

"No, not really. Slendy only comes out when he's… hungry. But still, after all of this time, Hoodie and I have urges like all the rest to kill. And it's our job to kill anything that gets near the mansion. As Slender's proxies, we have to do special jobs for him as well."

The only part I really took note of, was when Masky mentioned Slendy being… hungry. I shivered, shaking the thought away. I just said okay, not wanting to speak of this any longer. I followed them, until Hoodie pointed off into the distance. Masky grabbed my arm, pulling me into the shadows behind a tree. I peeked around, seeing a teenage boy walking in our direction. I gasped, wanting ever so badly to tell him to run away. But I knew what was bound to happen.

Just as the boy got close enough to where we were hiding, Hoodie jumped out in front of him. Using a knife, Hoodie stabbed him. A gurgled scream flew from the boys lips before blood poured from his mouth. Within moments, the boy was laying there, lifeless. My face was a mask of horror from just witnessing a murder. I literally felt like I was going to be sick… these people I have been staying with… oh my god… I have to get away from them. But I had to be smart about it…

I acted nonchalant, walking out with Masky. But in my mind, I was plotting. The three of us continued to walk, until I was sure the trees were thinning out ahead. I decided to make my move, now. I stopped walking, jerking my head to my right. Masky and Hoodie paused, looking back at me.

"What is it?" Masky asked.

"Shh," I whispered, looking through the trees. "I heard something moving over there," I replied.

"It was probably an animal," Masky replied, shrugging.

"No, oh shit I saw someone! Wait… more like two. One wearing red, the other green. They're going that way," I replied, pointing off in a random direction.

Without another word, the two of them sprinted forward, prepared to capture two people who weren't even there. A devilish smile spread across my face as I dashed forward toward the light. It wasn't long, before I exited the forest. It was twilight, the sun slowly setting. I knew exactly where I was. In fact, this is where I entered the first time on the nature trail. The outskirts of my neighborhood was right in front of me.

Joyfully, I ran forward, my heart thumping with excitement. I ran, until I reached the fence that surrounded my backyard. I nearly screamed with joy when I saw my little brother in the yard… playing with another kid… what? My little brother had no friends that I knew of… I ducked, out of view as my mother came out the door. I watched as she walked up to them, a smile on her face.

"Kids, come in, it's getting late," she called, followed by a laugh.

"Okay!" Greg happily said, gathering his toys.

I recognized the child; he was the kid that lived down the street. Smiles were plastered on all of their faces, no worry or sadness looming in the air.

They didn't miss me? They weren't worried sick about me? Waiting for me to get home? No, they were all happy. They were all just fine with the world, the thought of me not springing into the minds, not once! It was slightly expected of my father. Perhaps my mother, too, since she was always at work. Wouldn't miss me that much, since she never saw me much anyways, I guess. But Greg? I was already replaced. Already, and it's been three days.

My knees trembled beneath me, until they gave out. I fell to my knees, tears now streaming down my face. My own family doesn't miss me. Sure, they must've filed reports that I'm missing. But they didn't miss me, obviously. What kind of family can go on happily when one of the members are missing? One that didn't love you in the first place. Worthless. Absolutely worthless.

I didn't flinch when I felt two hands grasp my shoulders. I knew it was Masky. I just couldn't help but feel destroyed after seeing that. I turned, looking up at Masky. He jumped, his blue eyes widening when he saw my expression. He turned, facing my backyard. He watched my mom, Greg and his friend enter the house, still smiling. Still not having a care in the world. Understanding lit up in his eyes, along with sorrow.

"Let's get home," he whispered, under his breath.

I nodded, taking his hand when he offered it. After he pulled me up, he shocked me by pulling me in for a hug. I accepted it, tears continuing to roll down my face.

"Don't worry, Ari. You have a new family," he whispered.

I didn't know how to respond. I didn't even know if I could. He pulled back, beginning to walk forward. Hoodie and I followed his lead. A sudden thought engulfed me with fear.

"Masky… please don't tell Slendy," I cried, grabbing his arm. "Please, please don't tell him. I swear, you know this will never happen again. Just don't tell him that," I begged.

"I wont. Hoodie wont either. You're fine."

I let out a sigh of relief, letting him go. We all continued forward, into the forest. It wasn't long until we approached the massive mansion once again. I really did have to start looking at this place like home, now. Once in, I made a sprint to my room. I passed everyone in the kitchen, earning several looks. Including Slendy's… I just couldn't eat dinner. Not today.

I got to my room, slamming the door behind me. I sat on the bed, feeling completely lost. Completely helpless and useless. This entire time I imagined by family was desperate to find me. Desperate to get me back, missing me like crazy. And I was dead wrong. So wrong, it was sad.

I was tired of crying every day. Tired of being terrified. Tired of feeling sorry for myself. Tired of running to my room, helplessly. But at this point, it was becoming normal. Which… wasn't a good thing. Suddenly, I heard a quiet tap on my door. I looked up, watching it slowly squeak open, Slendy leaning in.

"Darling, wouldn't you like some dinner?" he asked, entering. He shut the door behind him.

"No thanks, Slendy," I replied.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

I just shook my head no. There was no point in lying to him. He walked forward, sitting next to me on the end of the bed.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, right?" he asked.

I nodded, staring down. I did want to talk to him about this. So badly I did… but that was reveal the secret that I tried to escape. And I didn't want him knowing that…

"Why are you upset?" he asked.

I just shook my head, leaning on his shoulder. His very presence was calming me down and making me feel better, at least. He put his arm around me, rubbing the side of my shoulder, comfortingly.

"Alright. Masky and Hoodie weren't too hard on you, were they?" he asked, looking down at me.

I looked up, noticing his face was contorted in a way, that it appeared to be worried.

"No, they were nice with everything. I got to hear Hoodie speak," I chuckled, trying to make things lighter.

He laughed, it sounding rich and warm. "Now that's something you don't hear everyday. Well, I'm glad things went nice… Would you care for me to get you anything that would make you more comfortable here? It could be one of your old belongings or something new… anything," he suddenly offered.

My eyebrows furrowed as I looked up at him, the closeness being somewhat intoxicating.

"No, you don't have to…" I whispered. Although there was something I was missing dearly…

"I insist, and I can feel you want something. Just name it," he pressed.

"Well… my old I-pod with it's charger would be nice…" I whispered, offering a small smile.

"It'll be in your room by morning. I just want you to be comfortable and happy here… I really should be getting back down to clean up… are you sure you wouldn't like anything to eat?" he asked, dropping his arm. Strangely, I wanted him to put it back…

"Yes, I'm sure. Thank you, though," I replied.

He nodded, standing. "Goodnight, then. Sweet dreams, my dear," he called, leaving my room and closing the door behind him.

…I was so close to calling him back.

* * *

**Yay, big chapter! xD Hope you enjoyed, and please review! **


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The quiet squeak of the door opening woke me from my sleep in the middle of the night. My heart stopped for a moment, worry filling me as I wondered if it was the Rake. I peeked up, barely lifting my eyelids, only to see the outline of Slendy at the door. I smiled slightly, continuing to act asleep. He quietly walked in, up to my side table. He sat something down, the sound of cords being draped on the table telling me he brought my present. I tried so hard not to jump up and hug him, but I decided to just act asleep.

I saw him turn, facing me. He leaned down, his blank face hard to read. I held my breath as he reached forward, only to tenderly brush a few locks of hair off of my face. I couldn't help my lips twitch up into a slight smile. I barely saw his cheekbones raise, as he stood up, and walked out of the room. As the door shut, I drifted back to sleep, partially wondering if I was just dreaming or not.

* * *

When I awoke in the morning, I was debating whether that was just a dream, or my imagination. Either way, I had a chipper grin on my face. I was awake before the knock on my door, giving me time to get ready. I took my shower, having my I-pod's music sweep around the bathroom. It was so nice to have it back… Once done, I dried my hair and finished getting ready. I searched through Jane's stash of clothes, finally picking out a simple black, zipped up jacket and jeans. Right as I finished, I heard the knock on the door. I grinned, eager to see Slendy. I ran, turning off my music, then approaching the door.

"Good morning," I sang, pulling it open. "Oh… it's you," I whispered, seeing Ben standing before me.

"Disappointed I'm not someone else?" he chuckled, his usual smirk pulling across his face.

I just shook my head, my face heated up. "I was just expecting Slendy," I replied.

"Ah, sorry. Well, Masky told me to come get you for breakfast since he had to do it. Slender usually does, but every once in a blue moon he doesn't. So we all get cereal… yay," he growled, his black eyes blazing.

I followed him, silently, until we got into the kitchen. I walked to my seat, sitting down. Slendy wasn't even sitting at the table… where was he? I frowned, barely noticing when Masky sat a bowl in front of me.

"Good morning, Ari! Sorry, no fancy food this morning. But we all kind of rely on Slends for food, so none of us really know how to cook," he chuckled.

I nodded, smiling in reply although it was halfhearted. I began to slowly eat as Masky's blue eyes observed me.

"You alright?" he asked, causing everyone to turn and stare at me.

I quickly nodded. "Yeah, I'm just fine. Still a little tired," I replied, faking a yawn.

Masky nodded, turning back to his food along with everyone else.

"Maybe some candy will wake you up!" LJ laughed, throwing a red piece of candy to me.

I smiled, picking it up. "Thanks LJ," I grinned.

Once everyone was finished eating, Masky and Hoodie stood up.

"Alright, Ari. You ready for some more training?" Masky asked.

I inwardly groaned. "Yeah, sure," I whispered, standing with them.

Hoodie was already starting for outside, Masky and I following him.

For most of the day, I trained with the two of them, my defense getting surprisingly well. Neither of them seemed concerned with perimeter checks or going out too far into the woods. I was partially glad for that. I was getting pretty proud of myself, actually being able to put up a good fight. That is until Hoodie landed a solid punch to my shoulder, sending me falling back. Masky whipped around, easily catching me before I hit the ground.

"What the hell?" I growled. Where had that come from.

"Hood, don't go that hard on her yet," Masky hissed.

So they weren't going hard on me at all? I was still absolutely no match. That's just great.

"Guys, I'm done for today. It's getting dark anyhow," I murmured, frustrated.

We began to walk back, my muscles sore from the extended training today. We were out here for hours, and apparently I'm still no good. I let out a sigh, entering the mansion once more. Hoodie and Masky separated, and I just decided to follow Masky to wherever he was going to go.

He ended up following him to the living room where Jeff and EJ were. I hadn't seen Slendy all day… and in an odd way, I missed him. I was laying back on the couch with Masky, EJ and Jeff, watching them argue about something as always. Finally, I interrupted.

"Masky, where's Slenderman?" I asked.

They all quit talking, looking over at me. Jeff had a slightly disturbed expression, but Masky finally answered, breaking the silence.

"He's in his office. Told Hoodie and I to take the day off. He has those days every once and a while when he locks himself away. You probably shouldn't disturb him," he murmured.

"Oh…" I whispered.

All of a sudden, running footsteps trampled into the room. We turned to see LJ panting at the doorway.

"Guys, come check it out! Ben and Hoodie are beating the shit out of each other!" he laughed, a bit too joyfully.

Masky was up in an instant, running to his fellow proxy. The other two guys followed, of course eager to see a fight. I sighed, laying back. I wasn't really all that interested in seeing a fight. Taking this moment alone to my advantage, I stood up, walking out of the room. Wandering the halls, I finally approached Slendy's office. I was nervous, of course, due to what Masky said. But I was curious. I tried the door, seeing it was surprisingly unlocked. But even more shocking, his office was empty. He was no where to be found. I walked in, closing the door behind me.

I saw his jacked was hung on his desk chair, along with his tie. Papers were scattered on the desk, yet he was no where to be found. I was about to call for him, but I heard the soft noise of music near by. Confused, my eyes scanned the area until I saw something. The book case off to the side was moved forward a bit, leaving a crack at the side. I realized then, that it was used as a door, that only he apparently knew about. I approached, peering in the dark crack. I couldn't really make out anything, but the sound of music was a bit louder.

I really, really, really shouldn't go in there. He would more than likely get mad at me. But my curiosity was nearly eating me alive. I quietly pulled the book case out more, so I could slip inside. Barely any light illuminated in the room, only moonlight that cast through the windows. My jaw dropped at the sight before me. A grand piano sat in the middle of the room, windows dominating two of the walls. Tree's surrounded outside, moonlight casting a light directly onto the piano.

Slenderman sat at it, his fingers flying on the keys. He was just wearing his button down white shirt, the top few buttons undone, exposing his pale chest. His tentacles were exposed, appearing to sway with the music as he went. I couldn't help but notice the certain melancholy tone to the song he was playing. It gave off a sad tone, pulling at my heart strings. I stood in the shadows, staring in awe at the sight before me. He continued to play as I began to walk forward; he seemed oblivious to my presence so far. I stood next to him, slightly behind so he couldn't see me.

I watched as he continued, until his fingers began to slow on the keys, finally drifting to a quiet end. My hand shook, as I laid it on his shoulder. He whipped around, standing. His foot hit the piano bench, sending it toppling over. I flinched at the sound of it hitting the floor. He looked in shock, at least that's what I figured. I slowly looked up at him, my face heated as I blushed.

"That was beautiful," I whispered.

He was silent, not moving. I became even more nervous, biting my lip.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered. He didn't sound mad at least.

"I wanted to see you… and you left your 'secret door' cracked. I heard the music," I replied. "I had no idea you played piano," I added.

"No one does," he murmured, bending down and picking up the bench. He sat it upright, sitting down once more. He faced me, still eyelevel even though he was sitting down.

"Well, don't worry. I won't spread your secret," I giggled, smiling at him.

His shoulders slumped, appearing relieved. "Good."

"Thank you for getting my I-pod," I whispered, beginning to feel awkward. I noticed his tentacles retract, as he let out a sigh.

"You're welcome. Do the others know where you are?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, they don't."

"They'll probably be looking for you after a little while. They know I don't want you being alone," he whispered.

I nodded. "Could I hear one more song?" I whispered.

His cheekbones rose as he nodded. He turned, patting the space beside him for me to sit down. I walked over, sitting down with him. His fingers began to dance on the keys, still slow and sad. But still, absolutely beautiful. I smiled, watching him play, his face seeming so concentrated on the song. I smiled at the keys, feeling happy. Nothing less than happy. Only Slendy seemed to be able to make that happen these days.

I clapped a couple of times when he song came to an end, a chuckle shaking through him.

"Slendy… why are your songs so sad?" I whispered, looking up at him.

He let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "I tend to bottle things up, darling."

I pursed my lips, sorrow pouring within me. Of course, how could he not? With no one to talk to about his true thoughts and feelings, for god knows how long… he finds his escape in music.

"You can talk to me any time you want. I promise I wont spill it to everyone," I chuckled, smiling at him. "But you do need to get your feelings out every once and a while, Slendy," I added, my blue eyes soft.

"Hmm… perhaps another time I'll take you up on that. Just… not tonight," he replied, his velvety voice quiet.

I looked up at him, still smiling. He returned it, the moonlight casting shadows on his face. We were silent, neither breaking away from the other's gaze, it felt like. He lifted his hand, cupping my cheek. His thumb lightly stoked it, his grip light. My heart was hammering, as my eyes widened. As if my hand had a mind of its own, I reached up, laying my hand on top of his. I pulled it down, interlocking his fingers with mine. We both looked down at our interlocked fingers, warmth spreading without me. _What was I doing?_

A sudden knock of his office door, broke us out of the trance. The knock sounded again, this one louder and more persistent. I thought I heard a sigh come from him as he stood. He cleared his throat, nodding for me to follow him. We walked through the bookshelf door, closing it behind us. I stole one last glance at the piano. Slendy pulled the office door open, seeing Jeff standing behind it. Jeff gawked at us, then scowled, crossing his arms.

"Tell me. Why is it whenever I come here you're missing clothes," Jeff sneered at Slendy.

I rolled my eyes as Slendy glared at him. "What do you want, Jeffrey?" he asked.

"Just wanted to inform you that the Rake has returned. No one knew where Ari was, so they wanted me to let you know."

"Thank you," Sendy replied, buttoning his shirt back up. "You can get back to what you were doing, now," he added, turning away from him.

Jeff sneered, closing the door as he left. Slendy walked over, pulling his jacket back on. I guessed he wasn't going to bother with his tie at the moment.

"So… the Rake is back?" I whispered, worry coursing through.

"I wont let him hurt you again. I promise," he replied

I smiled, softly. "I wouldn't guess you'd play some more piano for me," I grinned, already dying to hear him play again.

"I don't see why not."

I followed him back into the room, over to the piano. We both sat at the bench, lovely music beginning to fill the room once more. When a song was over, he just started with a new one. I began to get tired, leaning on his shoulder as his songs lulled me to sleep. It was more comforting than when I first got his jacket to hold on to as I slept…

Why was I so happy and comforted around him?

The Slenderman… now the closest person I was to in the world.

* * *

**Please review! Much love my dears c:**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

I awoke in the morning, snuggled up in my bed. I was also grasping onto Slendy's jacket once again. Wait… how did I get to bed? Last I remember, I fell asleep listening to him play the piano. Guess he carried me to bed… I smiled, jumping out of bed and getting ready once more. After my shower, I found a simple black t-shirt and black skinny jeans, throwing them on. Once ready, I sat on my bed and waited. Perhaps they wouldn't escort me around the mansion anymore since I was getting used to it…

Right after that thought, there was a knock. I tried not to get my hopes too high, considering it was Ben who got me yesterday. But when I opened the door, Slenderman was standing there.

"Morning," I grinned, taking his arm.

"Good morning, Aribella. How did you sleep?" he asked, beginning to walk me down to the kitchen.

"Wonderful. Thanks for taking me to bed… your music lulled me to sleep," I chuckled.

"You're welcome. Anytime you want to hear me play… just let me know. I've never really had anyone listen before… but I don't mind you hearing. Just let me know," he repeated.

"Alright, I will. It will probably be frequent though, just a warning," I replied.

His laugh was rich, bouncing of the walls as we entered the kitchen. Everyone looked at him, and he immediately stopped laughing. I guess they weren't used to hearing it or something… He cleared his throat, pulling my chair back for me. I sat down, freezing when I saw the Rake at the end of the table. Well, trying to be I could say. He didn't take notice to my presence yet; he was too busy devouring what appeared to be a human leg. Even EJ looked disgusted, and he ate organs.

Slendy sighed, seeing the blood splattering everywhere in the kitchen. The raw meat flying across the table in chunks; coating the Rakes claws. Subconsciously, I scooted closer to Slender. That thing still scares the shit out of me. I began to eat in silence, trying my best to ignore the fact that it was there.

"Masky, Hoodie," Slendy broke the silence, his two proxies looking up. "I have a very important mission I have to discuss with you today. After we're done eating, come with me to my office."

They nodded, continuing to eat. So that means I had none of them to hang out with today… There was always videogames with Ben. Board games with Sally. Movies with Jeff, EJ and LJ. Talking with Jane. Avoiding the Rake. Yep, especially that one. There was plenty to do. Once done eating, everyone dispersed. Slender, Masky and Hoodie being the first to go. I guess whoever leaves next I'm going with… because I don't want to be left alone with the Rake. Jeff stood up, along with EJ and LJ, and I followed their lead.

"What are you guys planning on doing?" I asked.

"Watchin TV. Throwing knives. The usual."

"Mind if I join?" I asked, pursing my lips.

"Not at all," EJ replied, and Jeff just shrugged like the didn't care.

I followed them to the large living room, EJ plopping onto the couch. Jeff began to throw knives at the fireplace, just like when I first saw him. I watched, seeing how perfect his aim was.

"Can I try?" I asked, walking up to Jeff.

His smile grew larger, as he offered another knife he pulled out of his hoodie pocket.

"Sure thing. Here, let me show you." He walked over, ripping his knife out of the fireplace. "Flick you wrist like this so it spins right. It might take you a few tries to get it wedged into the fireplace."

I took the knife he offered, watching his example. It flew into the same wedge he has been working on. He walked up, pulling it out, then motioned for me to try. I held up the knife, squinting my eyes. Then, I flicked my wrist, sending it flying forward. It narrowly missed his wedge, creating a new one right next to it. The knife was stuck into the fireplace, a triumphant smile spreading across my face. Jeff's was a mask of shock.

"How the hell did you do that?" he gasped, starting to smile.

I just shrugged, walking forward and ripping it out of the wall. I handed it to him, then walked over sitting on the couch with EJ and LJ.

"Lucky shot," Jeff mumbled under his breath, beginning to throw once again.

I chuckled, along with EJ who I guess had been watching. I then heard footsteps in the hall, entering the doorway.

"Sally, are you fucking kidding me," I heard Ben growl.

"Come on, Benny! Just one game!" the little girl giggled, towing him inside the room.

Ben scowled, glaring at the small child that clutched a board game.

"Don't call me that. And that's what you always say but it ends up being a million," he sighed.

"Oh come on, Ben! We have never played a game a million times before!"

Ben rolled his eyes, giving in and beginning to play. I then saw Jane walk into the room, sitting on the chair. She silently began to watch the TV, not seeming to want to speak with anyone. Well, it looked like everyone was here other than Slendy, Masky, Hoodie and… the Rake. Well, I'd prefer the Rake stayed away.

In fact, it sort of looked how it did when I first walked in on them. Beside LJ of course. But almost the same… is this all they do besides kill? Seems a bit boring. But even so, they were all like a giant family. I smiled at the thought, beginning to watch TV. Ben continuously complained when Sally forced him to play more games with him, but I thought it was sweet that he continued. Deep down, all of these guys had a heart. Hell, even Jeff did, which I wouldn't have believed a few days ago.

After a while, I grew bored. I ached for my I-pod… I could sit in my room and listen to it. I stood up, prepared to walk back to my room.

"Where are ya goin, sweets?" LJ asked.

"To my room. I'll see you guys later," I smiled.

"No-" LJ didn't have time to continue before I turned around and saw the Rake standing there.

I froze in fear, my eyes wide. Everyone stopped what they were doing, gasps flying from their mouths. The Rake was smirking, it's black eyes alight. I slowly backed away, but it followed every step I made. It drooled, licking its lips as he approached me.

"_You're still here,"_ it rasped.

"Yes," I replied, feeling bold. I held my head up. My steps twisted, still trying to keep my distance from the Rake. We were now in the middle of the room, the door seeming so close…

"_I told you that you didn't belong here," _It snarled, crouching.

My heartbeat raced, and I wished more than anything I still had Jeff's knife. Everyone was frozen, none knowing what to do. If any of them attacked, the Rake would go right for me.

"I do belong here," I replied, narrowing my eyes.

A wicked cackle broke through its lips, its black eyes shimmering as it stared me down.

_ "No, child. You are just food_._"_

Before anyone could react, it sprung forward, claws held back, prepared to kill me. I flinched, prepared for the pain. Prepared for him to rip me limb from limb. But then, black filled my vision, blocking me from the Rake.

I heard the Rake's claws swipe through something, a liquid black substance dripping onto the ground. My mouth dropped in shock, seeing Slendy standing in front of me. I peeked around, seeing his mouth ripped open. His tentacles were erratic, twisting and jerking in odd angles. Pure anger raged through him, a menacing snarl erupting his lips. Even the Rake backed away. Four gashes were ripped through his torso, ruining his clothes. Black blood seeped down, staining his white shirt. Slendy then grew a few feet, his head nearly touching the ceiling. He glared down at the Rake, his pointed teeth exposed.

Masky and Hoodie stood at the door, knives up and ready to attack. Jeff was twirling his knife, a scowl on his face although he was smiling. EJ had his scalpel out, LJ had his claws ready. Jane pulled out her knife, Ben's nails growing to claws, blood pouring out of his eyes. Sally's eyes began to glow, along with blood beginning to pour down her face. All of them were ready to attack. They were just waiting for Slendy's word. Slendy then held up his hand, signaling them away.

"No. This is _my_ fight. Masky, Hoodie, block the doorway," Slendy growled.

Everyone nodded, psychotic laughs bursting through LJ and Jeff's mouths. The Rake looked slightly intimidated, yet still didn't falter.

"I told you not to harm her. We already discussed this. Yet you defy me?" Slenderman snarled.

A raspy laugh came from the Rake, as he tauntingly looked at Slendy. _"Food is food, Slenderman. You see, unlike you, I don't get _attached_ to humans. I eat them."_

Slendy's tentacles quivered faster, his fists clenching. "Under my roof, you follow my orders. I already warned you once. Now, you face the consequences of trying to harm this darling girl," he yelled, his voice low, demonic.

Without another word, Slendy's tentacles shot out, grabbing the Rake instantly. He slammed the Rake into the wall, causing a picture to fall. A muffled yell escaped the Rakes mouth as Slendy continued to ram him into the walls and floor, loud cracks sounding as it's bones broke. Slendy crashed him into the floor, his tentacles holding him down. He walked forward, still graceful even when he was angry.

The Rake struggled under the grasp of Slendy's tentacles, but couldn't break free. Slendy walked up, placing his foot on the Rakes back. Grabbing both of it's arms, he ripped back, the bones snapping instantly. A scream flew from the Rake, it now seeing it was no match to Slendy.

"I want to kill you. I should kill you. To see your blood spill would be a pleasure beyond belief. You do not harm what is dear to me. But due to you being a demon, an important worker for Zalgo at that, I can not."

Slendy reached down, wrapping his hand around the Rake's throat, pulling it up into the air. Slendy held it up, until it was face to face with him.

"You are not welcome here. Get out, and never return," Slendy hissed.

With that, he threw the Rake into the wall, one last boom sounding in the room. The Rake quickly shot up, trying to move as fast as it could with its broken bones. Within minutes, it was out the door. Everyone was staring at Slendy as he shook with anger. Blood still dripped down him. Not saying anything, he turned on his heel, exiting from the room after closing his mouth. I followed him instantly, pushing past Masky and Hoodie. No one followed us as we entered Slendy's office.

I closed the door behind me as he began to shed his ruined jacket from his shoulders. Sorrow filled within me as he continued, taking off his tie and unbuttoning what was left of his white shirt. His wounds were not as bad as mine had been, considering he had on two layers. I only had a thin satin dress. He sighed, getting out the medical supplies. I stepped forward, taking them from him.

"No… you did it for me last time. It's time I returned the favor," I replied, offering a small smile.

He slowly nodded, not replying. He sat down as I picked up a towel, beginning to dab off the black blood. He didn't flinch. He didn't move. He just sat there, watching me work. My eyes swept over his toned chest, followed by his abs that were stained with blood that was still trickling down. I pursed my lips, continuing to work. Once the blood was wiped away, I began to dab alcohol onto the cuts so they wouldn't get infected. He still didn't flinch. I began to wrap the bandages around him, so the bleeding would stop. Like I had thought, it wasn't as bad as mine had been. No stitches were needed. Once I was finished, I looked up at him, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

He lifted his hand, pushing a few locks of my hair out of my face. "Did he hurt you before I got there?" he whispered. "Please tell me he didn't lay a claw on you."

Tears filled my eyes as his hand cupped my cheek. "You are going to sit and ask that, after you just got hurt?" I choked out. "No, you stopped him."

"Good," he sighed.

Tears fell down my cheeks as I looked up at him. "Thank you so much," I whispered, sniffling.

He pulled me to him, not caring about the bandages. Not caring that he was hurt. I wrapped my arms around him, trying my very best to be careful. His arms were tight, pulling me as close as possible.

"Shhh, don't cry," he pleaded, rubbing my shoulders.

"Why did you do that? I should have gotten hurt, not you. You didn't have to do that," I replied.

"Yes, I did." I pulled back, looking up at him. "I promised I wouldn't let him hurt you again."

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**Please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Bye!" Everyone yelled, nearly trampling me to get out of the door. This morning I was just informed on how they did what's called 'a group kill' once a month. All of them leave together to cause a full fledge massacre. How lovely. I turned to see Slenderman, Masky and Hoodie enter the room.

"Are you guys leaving too?" I asked, frowning. I didn't want to be left alone in this giant mansion…

"No, darling. Well, Masky and Hoodie do have to do a perimeter check along with running some errands for me. But I'm not leaving," Slender replied, his cheekbones raising as he smiled.

I returned it as Hoodie headed for the door.

"See ya later Ari," Masky called, exiting after him.

The door slammed shut.

"Why aren't you leaving with the serial killer group?" I asked, smirking as I began to walk to the drawing room.

He followed behind me, his deep chuckle echoing off the walls of the hallway.

"What those…naïve young ones consider 'fun' I consider nothing more than work that has to be done."

I thought over what he said as I plopped down in one of the chairs. Slender walked over to the fireplace, starting a fire within it.

"So you basically only do it when you have to?" I asked, flinching at what Masky had said before.

I saw him nod as flames began to lick the air in front of him. He stepped away, sitting in the leather chair adjacent to me.

"Would you like anything to eat or drink?" he asked. Part of me wondered whether he was trying to avoid the topic.

"No, thank you," I replied. "It bothers you that you have to," I bluntly said.

I looked over to see him staring into the fire. He stroked his chin, trying to figure out the best way to answer, I suppose.

"I wouldn't say it… bothers me to an extent… not to sound crude. But over the long period of time I have existed, it has just become natural. Something I have seen over and over again, to the point where those feelings of remorse, self-hatred and repulsiveness have faded. It is just something I have to do to continue living."

"You use your piano. You said that you bottle things up," I reminded him, staring at him.

He twiddled his thumbs, nodding. "Oh, they're still there, by no means. My subconscious will never forget. What I meant, is that I don't constantly sit around with that on my mind as I used to. The others living here… Jeffrey for example. He has fallen into insanity, which means he contains zero remorse at all. All emotions I have listed he does not possess, in any state of mind. Although I am sure, if he wanted to enough, he could pick himself back up. Those human pieces are still there."

I nodded, understanding. Although when Jeff talked to me about his family… I saw some of those emotions. Slendy was right… they're still there.

"So you just have those days…" I chuckled.

"Exactly. Every once in a while, it's nice to allow yourself to feel everything you tend to keep away. As painful as it could be, no one can survive these kinds of things unless you let it out, or fall into insanity. There are two choices."

"Well, you have to get the thrill of the kill. I mean, when you were trying to kill me… I'm not going to lie, you were pretty damn scary," I laughed, smiling.

"I really… apologize about that…" he murmured. "But, I am a killer, whether I like it or not. I have a status. When people feel fear… their adrenaline kicks in. Their hearts pound faster, pumping more blood into their veins… I'd rather not finish," he mumbled.

"No, continue," I probed, wanting the information.

"Makes a better meal," he breathed, looking away. It was clear how much he didn't want me to hear this. "As a supernatural being…" He didn't say anymore. I looked over at him, waiting. "I can _taste_ all of that. If I just went, snapped someone's neck from behind, then continued… it wouldn't be the same, so to speak."

"What is it about them that keeps you alive?"

He shrugged, what appeared to be a frown plastered on his face. "I'm a demon, Aribella," he replied, seeing that to be an answer in itself. "The difference between the Rake and I, and the rest of the creepypastas, is that we are both demons. Everyone else was sent to Zalgo. Either Zalgo saw potential in them and took them when they died… or he created them himself. It's my… job, per se. The Rake and myself, as demons are supposed to cause chaos in the world. Killing humans, to be specific. And the way to stay alive and on the Earth is to make sure the job is complete."

"Do you just have to kill them? Masky said something about you being… hungry once," I murmured.

I saw his fists clench at his sides. The slender pale fingers looked as though they were about to break.

"No, darling. I don't get to just kill them," he whispered. "If you haven't noticed, none of the missing people under my attacks have ever been found. Not even a fragment… other than the cases where I left them on purpose to be found."

"Like the impaling on trees and the people who have been gutted and their organs are put in baggies inside of them?"

He nodded. "The ones I 'tamper' with or 'torture' are for a reason. Either they have been trying to capture footage of me, find me or my mansion or something in that nature. It's truly none of their business, and by doing what I do…" his cheekbones raised as he smiled, "They think twice about what they were wishing for." I shivered inwardly. "There are some instances where other monsters of the world drag their victims into my forest to finish them off. By other monsters, I mean other humans that do deeds that we do. Whether their victim is alive or dead, I tend to take care of them the same way I mentioned. I will admit, it does take the boredom out of things," he chuckled. "Lastly, there is the rare instance a victim escapes me somehow. They don't escape for long, and get an even nastier version of death."

Well, at least he kills criminals and dumb people who try to pry into his business… well, in all honesty, I was in his forest trying to get a glimpse of him. Perhaps I shouldn't mention that…

"Why do you… eat younger children?" I asked. He insinuated that was what he did earlier without actually saying it. Plus there was Masky's hint.

"The younger they are, the longer I can go without doing it. Plus they taste better…" he murmured, clearly not liking the topic. "If I need to, I will kill teenagers and adults. But that is more than likely why you heard so much about me kidnapping children."

I nodded. "What all can you do? Like, I know you can grow and shrink to your liking. But what else?" I asked.

"Well, I can teleport. I can cause people to have nightmares… invade their dreams. I can cause them to have what mortals call 'Slender Sickness.' It seeps them slowly into insanity. I can cause electronics to falter when I'm near, hence the static that you can hear when around me."

"Why can't I hear it now?" I interjected.

"I usually put it off. Or, it happens when I'm extremely angry. I would annoy the daylights out of everyone living here if they had to listen to that constantly," he laughed. "I also can compel my victims into following my orders. They're in a hypnotic state, telling them to trust me. Lastly, I have the power to heal injuries."

"What? Why didn't you heal my back after the Rake cut me then?" I asked, my eyes throwing daggers.

"If you hadn't noticed, it healed relatively quickly, did it not?" he asked, a smirk almost clear on his face.

"Well, yeah. But you could have just healed me to start with. Instead you had me take my dress off and do it yourself."

"That may be just why I didn't," I barely heard him mumble under his breath. So low that I wasn't even sure that's what he said. Still, a blush crept onto my cheeks. I then remembered having to take care of him when the Rake cut him as well. He didn't heal himself either then… My blush only darkened.

"Are my questions bothering you?" I asked, getting off topic. It was obvious he wasn't going to say anymore on that subject.

"No."

"Well, I'm sure no one else in this household knows all of this other than Masky and Hoodie perhaps. Why are you letting me know?" I asked.

"For starters, none have them has taken the liberty to sit down and ask," he scoffed. "Although, even then I doubt I would have told. You are very… special, Aribella," he replied, looking over at me. I smiled. "I am sure you would be a marvelous creepypasta as well." And the moment is gone. Yay. I pursed my lips, looking away. "You know… you only have one more day after this one," Slender whispered.

I nodded. "Yeah, I know."

"Still deliberating?"

"Yes."

Just one more day?

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**So sorry for the long wait, writers block sucks . I should be good now though, haha. Please review and thanks to everyone who has so far! :3**


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